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Nyando, Mathare and Bonchari polls set for June 3

This is according to a notice released by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission weeks after the Court of Appeal nullified the March 2013 victories of MPs John Oyioka (Bonchari) Mathare's George Wanjohi and Fred Outa from Nyando/FILE

This is according to a notice released by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission weeks after the Court of Appeal nullified the March 2013 victories of MPs John Oyioka (Bonchari) Mathare’s George Wanjohi and Fred Outa from Nyando/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 3 – Voters in Nyando, Mathare and Bonchari constituencies will go to the polls to elect new Members of Parliament on June 3.

This is according to a notice released by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission weeks after the Court of Appeal nullified the March 2013 victories of MPs John Oyioka (Bonchari) Mathare’s George Wanjohi and Fred Outa from Nyando.

The electoral agency said it would on the same date hold by-elections in three County Assembly Wards namely: Misikhu in Bungoma County, Maua in Meru County and Kikombai in Tana River County.

Bonchari has made history as a constituency that has been served by two MPs in one year. During the March 4, 2013 General Election, Zebedeo Opore was declared the winner and subsequently sworn in.

However, six months later, Opore’s rival, John Oyioka, successfully petitioned his election and was declared the winner by the Kisii High Court. He was sworn into office without a by-election.

Oyioka’s victory was however short-lived as he has also served for six months – from September 2013 year until March 14, 2014 – when the Appellate Court overruled the judgment that handed him the Bonchari seat.

The two rivals will now face off again after the Court of Appeal in Kisumu ordered a by-election.

In Mathare Constituency, TNA’s Wanjohi lost the seat at the Court of Appeal which overturned an earlier ruling by the High Court which declared him winner of the March 2013 election.

Steven Kariuki who was vying for the seat on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket had initially been presented with the certificate by the IEBC Returning Officer who later revoked it and awarded it to Wanjohi as the duly elected Member of Parliament. READ Appeals court orders by-election in Mathare

The ruling by a three-judge bench on March 18 ordered that fresh elections be held in the constituency as required by law following a petition by Kariuki.

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In Nyando Constituency, ODM’s Outa lost the seat, following a successful petition at the Court of Appeal by Ford Kenya’s Jared Okello.

A three-judge bench sitting in Kisumu nullified Outa’s election over if found that the victory was marred by election irregularities.

The court asked the Director of Public Prosecutions to investigate Outa over allegations of voter bribery.

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